Dragonball Future Foretold
by Gouki3
Summary: A prequel to Dragonball R. Mirai Trunks has returned to his own time, prepared to raise the Z-Senshi with the Nameck Dragonballs. But someone has already gotten there... And what's this-a new woman trained by Gohan who is more than what she seems. (Wow th
1. Prologue

"Wow. This is a really old story, and I've finally got around to touching it up. Well, actually that's a lie. I only touched up the ending. So, yeah, just keep this in mind: The story was written about three years ago and the ending about six months ago. Enjoy."

Prologue

"Gohan-san! Gohan-san! Gohan-san! Gohan-san! Gohan-san!" Trunks simply couldn't believe what was happening. His sensei, his sparring partner, his friend Son Gohan had been slaughtered by the Jinzoningen. The rainstorm was beginning to wane now, as Trunks knelt beside Gohan. He fought valiantly to stop the tears but he could not. The tears were rolling down his cheeks like waterfalls. Trunks couldn't contain his anger anymore; he squeezed his hands harder than ever before causing blood to drip out of his palms.

"AARGH!" Trunks screamed, letting all of it go. Trunks scream began to grow quieter and before it had completely stopped his eyes went wide as a yellow aura of chi surrounded him.

"You just have to get angry Trunks-kun. Just get angry and your emotions will do the rest." Trunks heard Gohan say in his mind. Trunks desired to become a Super Saiya-jin more than anything else in his life, it was like a birthright. Especially after what Vejita had gone through to achieve it. But he did not want it to be at the expense of Gohan's life.

3 years later Trunks went to the past to create a new future. One that was not ruled by the Androids, one where peace prevailed and all of the Z-Senshi were alive. Not only did he succeed, he returned with enough power to defeat the Jinzoningen. Trunks arrived to fight the Jinzoningen just in time and saved a young girl's life in the process.

"FATHER! MOTHER!" Azaelya screamed as she saw the Jinzoningen burn her parents skin away; then laugh, as they were able to disintegrate the bones. "Monsters," Azaelya muttered to herself. She was getting louder each time she said it. "Monsters, monsters, you're monsters. You are monsters. You Jinzoningen are fucking monsters!" She finally screamed out.

"Oh look Juuhachigou, she's getting angry. I think she want's to fight you." Juunanagou mocked her.

"I'll do more than fight you, you bitch. I'll rip you're fucking arms off and beat you're brother to death with them. It isn't the way his arms usually touch you but hey, I'm not into that shit!"

Juuhachigou was taken back by this statement but didn't lose her composure. Still as calm as ever she walked towards Azaelya slowly. Juuhachigou brushed her hair back behind her ears. She began to laugh. Then as her face went up close with Azaelya' face her expression turned deadly serious. Azaelya was flaunting death and she knew it. She tried to swallow but couldn't, her throat had suddenly become incredibly dry and tears were still running down her face. But Azaelya's stubborn personality wouldn't allow her to back down.

"If only looks could kill, huh? You metal slut! Why don't you show me what you've got? And keep your lover, oh, I mean brother out of it."

"Fine." And with that Juuhachigou threw her through a fallen building. The glass had scratched her, but she was a lot better off than both her and Juuhachigou expected her to be. She forced herself up of the ground and spat some blood out of her mouth.

"You're pretty good. For a toaster!" Azaelya spat out. She flew towards Juuhachigou at an incredible speed. Azaelya threw her knee towards Juuhachigou's stomach, but it was easily caught. Azaelya became flustered and began to throw punches wildly none of them hitting. Juuhachigou was quite amused with Azaelya's efforts. Azaelya decided to risk everything and threw her leg upwards. It made a direct hit on Juuhachigou's face. Juuhachigou was surprised at first but quickly snapped out of it and threw her back into a building. Before she could move in for the kill Juunanagou told Juuhachigou to look.

"Look it's Trunks, he must want to die today. Well Trunks are you ready to suffer. Like Gohan?" Those words made Trunks fly towards Juuhachigou as fast as he could.

"Or perhaps you'd like to suffer the way Vejita did? Or Piccolo? Tenshinhan maybe?" Juunanagou chimed in. "Either way, it ends here Trunks. Someone won't walk away today. And that someone will be Trunks Briefs." Stopped upon hearing this and stood there, waiting for them to make the first move.

"You want me? Come and get me." Trunks taunted. Azaelya was barely conscious but could here everything going on. She heard the name Trunks Briefs and her eyes went wide when she realized who it was. But the thing that made her wonder more than anything was why is he trying to get himself killed? She shook her head and continued to watch.

"JUUHACHIGOU! NO!" Juunanagou screamed like a wild beast, as his sister was killed in front of him. She was crushed as if she was nothing, and Trunks would pay Juunanagou decided.

Azaelya couldn't believe what she had seen! Juuhachigou had just been killed single handedly by Trunks Briefs. "You bastard. How could you kill her so easily? Where did you get such strength from?" Juunanagou queried Trunks ignored him and flew toward him extending his arm much the same way he did with Juuhachigou.

"Send me a postcard from hell, you mechanical bastard!"

"NO—" the explosion that took his life cut off Juunanagou. Azaelya couldn't believe it. Both of the Jinzoningen were now dead, their reign of terror ended. Killed single handedly by Trunks Briefs. She forced herself up and tried to run over to him but collapsed on the way. Everything went black.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1  
  
"Trunks-kun!" Buruma called wondering where he was. Ever since he had returned from the future he had been acting strangely. It was 8 months today he had been back.  
  
"Yes mother?" Trunks called back, his voice was somewhat muffled and he sounded like he was straining. Buruma knew where he was now. She walked over to the gravity machine and saw him training under 450 times gravity. She sighed and asked him to come out. Trunks did something very out of the ordinary then. He ignored her.  
  
"Trunks Briefs! Get out here right now!" Buruma demanded. She knew he had ignored her, and was annoyed. Trunks flipped a switch and walked over to her avoiding eye contact at all times.  
  
"Yes? What do you want Mother?" Trunks asked smugly.  
  
"I want to know why you ignored me and why you have been spending so much time training. The Jinzoningen and Cell are gone Trunks. The Earth is at peace. You don't need to be any stronger."  
  
"In the past, Father told me to never let my guard down even when a foe has been defeated. Always push yourself and you'll never have to ask 'What if?' when you finally do come up against another foe. I let my guard down and I died Mother. It will not happen again. I ignored you because I didn't want you to worry about what I'm going to ask you," Trunks paused collecting his thoughts then continued. "I want to know where Nameck-sei is. I want to wish everyone back, and see how different they were. I want us to be a family. I think Chi-Chi-san has a right to a family as well."  
  
"If I knew where Nameck-sei was we'd have been there years ago Trunks-kun. But no one has any idea where it is."  
  
"Would Kaio-sama? He's the one who found out where Nameck was the first time wasn't he?" Trunks asked still hopeful that his father could be wished back.  
  
Buruma thought for a moment. "Maybe," she replied. "It's just I don't know how to contact him. And I doubt you do either."  
  
"Mother, I'm going to Kami's tower. I have to speak to Popo-san. I don't know when I'll be back." Buruma nodded, knowing that his mind was made up.  
  
"Be careful son. I couldn't go on without you." Trunks nodded as he flew up towards Kami's tower.  
  
Over the other side of the city a young woman around 17 years old is laying on her bed dreaming of the past. Wondering if things could have been different as she closes her eyes she remembers the screams of her parent's and sees the look's of pure joy on the Jinzoningen's faces. She blinks away tears. Her name is Azaelya. She slowly drifts off to sleep crying about her parents, the Jinzoningen and the mysterious man who saved her life, Trunks Briefs.  
  
Azaelya woke up with a jolt. It had been eight months and she was still having nightmares of her parent's death. Living alone in a shack didn't help much either, but today was different. Today luck was on her side. As she was walking around looking for food in a yet to be rebuilt part of Pepper city, something caught her eye. Laying in the middle of the road was someone's wallet. This was too good an opportunity to pass up, but it felt wrong in a way. Nonetheless she took the wallet and walked away casually to the shopping center.  
  
"Popo-san? Pop-san where are you? We need to talk." Trunks called out.  
  
"Trunks-kun? Is that you?" Trunks nodded when he saw Popo step out of the large palace type room. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"I came to ask a favor of you. I want to get in contact with Kaio-sama. Do you know how to do that?" Popo could not lie to him, as much as he wanted to he couldn't.  
  
"Yes. I do. But I don't think it's a good idea you go to his planet, surely you don't need his training--" trunks cut him off getting frustrated.  
  
"I don't want his fucking training! I want my friends and my family back!" Trunks cried causing Popo to step back.  
  
"Gohan-san told me that you would help the Z-Senshi no matter what, and I want some help. Please take me to Kaio's planet. From there we will go to Nameck-sei." Trunks was nearing the end of his sanity.  
  
"You want to go to Nameck? Well actually I have mastered the Kai-Kai technique. I can get us there with just basic knowledge of a Nameck-jin chi signal!" Popo said smiling.  
  
"You can?" Popo nodded.  
  
"I can take you to Kaio's planet right now, then to Nameck. But I must return to Earth almost immediately."  
  
Trunks sighed with relief when he heard this. He was finally going to see his friends and family once again. He only hoped they weren't too different from the one's in the past. Even if they were completely different he would have Gohan and his father back.  
  
"Are you ready to go now?"  
  
"Yeah. Well let's go." In an instant Trunks and Popo were on Kaio's planet. The Z-Senshi were silent, staring at Popo and Trunks who had arrived from nowhere.  
  
"My...son." Vejita said, disbelief apparent in his tone and speed.  
  
"Trunks-kun, what are you doing here?" Tenshinhan asked to break the awkward silence. "I've come to speak to Kaio, I need to know the location or at least the direction of Nameck-sei. Where is he?"  
  
"He's in his house talking to Gokou." Piccolo stated, "he doesn't want to be disturbed."  
  
"You were a lot more friendly in the past Piccolo. Maybe I'll take you there sometime and you can learn to be more talkative and less cold." Trunks said smugly. Piccolo didn't like his comment and growled.  
  
"Maybe that's because he hasn't spent the last 16 years dead Trunks. Do you know hat it's like to be dead?" Piccolo replied.  
  
Trunks' expression changed. "Yes I do actually. I was killed by a monster called Cell he blasted my chest wide open but kept me alive long enough to wish I had taken my own life." Piccolo walked away with those words.  
  
"Don't worry about him Trunks-kun. He's been dead for 16 years, not only that but he's been on this planetoid with Vejita, Tenshinhan, Kuririn and Father for around the same amount of time. It gets very cramped." Gohan said smiling. Trunks was happy to see Gohan's face again as well as Vejita's.  
  
"What about Yamucha and Chaotzu? Weren't they killed by the Jinzoningen?"  
  
"Yeah Yamucha was, and they enjoyed killing him as well, seeing as he cried in pain. I was there they actually tore of his arms and broke both his legs before crushing the rest of his body." Gohan paused thinking back to when he saw Yamucha die. "After that he gave up fighting completely and didn't come with us but because he'd given his life already he was allowed to keep his body, same with Vejita, Piccolo, and everyone else.  
  
"But what about Chaotzu?"  
  
Tenshinhan intervened with this question. "Chaotzu ran off to his kingdom to reclaim his throne as emperor. He won't be coming back."  
  
"But you don't seem to be to worried. Wasn't he a really good friend of yours?"  
  
"Yes he was. But during my first fight with the Jinzoningen Chaotzu tagged along, I was almost killed from protecting him rather than myself, and he ran off leaving me for dead. Kuririn saved me. When I found Chaotzu's at Kamesennin's he told me I should have died, I honestly didn't think the word bastard could affect people that deeply!"  
  
"What? What do you mean by that?"  
  
"When Chaotzu fled I called out bastard to him Kuririn heard me and when we got back to Kamesennin's after Chaotzu left he agreed that Chaotzu deserves what he gets now, and no one will ever think of him as a Z-Senshi anymore let alone a friend. And all those times I protected him, if I hadn't of treated Chaotzu like a brother and given a Kikoho to Nappa to avenge him I could have come to Nameck with you!" Tenshinhan laughed a sad laugh though. He was angry that Chaotzu had abandoned them.  
  
"Funny that, you didn't seem that close to him when the Jinzoningen were attacking you in the past either. It was more like you were keeping an enemy close!" Trunks said light-heartedly. Tenshinhan smiled and walked off to spar with Piccolo.  
  
"Huh? Is that Trunks-kun? I haven't seen you since you were about 6 months old! It is you isn't it?" Son Gokou's voice broke through the conversations going on.  
  
"Son-kun! I never thought I'd see you again!"  
  
"Again? I didn't think you'd remember me after all these years! And Son- kun? You sure do take after Buruma! How is she anyway?" Gokou remarked surprised.  
  
"Oh she's fine, she tries to be strong but I can tell she really misses you and Father."  
  
"She's been through some tough times, how's Chi-Chi? Is she holding up very well?"  
  
"She's doing better than everyone expected. Honestly though she want's you back which is why I need to talk to Kaio-sama." Trunks said looking around for him, Popo walked out of Kaio's house and signaled Trunks over his way.  
  
"Trunks-kun, Kaio-sama can see you now. Do try to make it fast though." Trunks nodded but at the same time sighed in exasperation.  
  
"I see Popo is still as stressed out as ever." Gohan said smirking.  
  
"Popo get your ass over here." Vejita called out Popo a little worried walked over to him.  
  
"Yes Vejita?"  
  
"Let my son take as long as he wants. He is here to do the universe a favor. Okay." Popo nodded slowly. Kaio signaled to Trunks to come into his house. He told Trunks to sit down and got him a drink "So Trunks-kun what is it you want from me? Popo didn't say."  
  
"I want to know the location of Nameck-sei. I need to wish everyone back, I need to wish the earth back to what it was, and we need a new Kami."  
  
"A new Kami? We'll have one as soon as Piccolo is wished back."  
  
"That isn't good enough. When I went to the past Piccolo merged with Kami and became the strongest on the planet. The Dragonball's became useless of course but Gokou went to Nameck-sei and retrieved Dende. When Dende became God the Dragonball's were stronger than ever before, and this was only when he had a few hours to create them! With 6 months to create them, or longer, they could be stronger than the Nameck Dragonball's!"  
  
"Hmmm, I see. This could help Earth greatly, and I can see why you want to wish everyone back, but how will you get there? Gokou can't leave heaven."  
  
"Popo knows the Kai-Kai technique. All we need to know is the basic direction."  
  
"Alright then, I'll tell you. Its Northwest from here. Good luck."  
  
"Thank you. Popo we're going." Trunks walked over to Popo and the two disappeared as fast as they had arrived.  
  
Azaelya had never had this much money at one time before. It showed. She ran around buying incredibly expensive items, and continually laughing. She attracted the attention of a lot of boy's as well. The first one to approach her got a nasty shock.  
  
"Hey cutie. Watch ya doin'?" He asked smugly. "You have really nice...talents!"  
  
"What? You fucking pervert! I'll kill you!" Azaelya's eyes narrowed as her fist flew into his face and foot into his ribs. Everyone was shocked except for three older women watching the argument.  
  
"What did you do that for you bitch? I gave you a compliment!" He cried rubbing his cheek and holding his ribs. He pulled a knife out of his pocket and flicked the blade up.  
  
"Hey, Benisao! Put your knife back we don't want any trouble with the police."  
  
"I don't care and neither does she! Go if you want but I'll finish this!" The vein on his forehead looked like it was about to pop. Benisao thrust the knife right into her left breast he dropped the knife though and let out an ear splitting scream when he saw that he and stabbed an image of Azaelya and was having his arm broken by her. "Forgive me please! I didn't mean anything I was just having some fun!"  
  
"Fun?! You call trying to kill me fun?! Christ! Are you insane?!" Benisao couldn't say anything he was in too much pain.  
  
"You just tried to kill me... what did you expect?" He spat out.  
  
She turned around to see a police officer walking towards them. "Hey now! You two! Stop that!" He drew his gun when she pushed Benisao into a wall and knocked him unconscious.  
  
"Shit! If they get me..." She immediately zanzokened to the other side of the complex, and continued to run, not watching where she was going. "Look out!" She screamed as she slammed into the cart of an older woman with blue hair. 


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
  
"Gomenasai!" Azaelya said helping the woman up. "Here this is yours..." She gave the woman her purse, and an I.D card fell out of it. Azaelya read the name and was shocked. "Oh god... you're Buruma Briefs... Gomenasai! Gomenasai! Gomenasai! Please forgive me! I mean. Oh God!"  
  
Bururma didn't know what to do. "It's okay. Really, I'm not worried by it, you shouldn't be either." She tried to hold off her surprise that someone would treat her so well.  
  
Azaelya dusted herself off and then without thinking blurted out, "Trunks killed the Jinzoningen!"  
  
Buruma grabbed her by the arm and pulled her closer. "What do you know?" She asked harshly. She didn't want any news of this getting out.  
  
"Not much... I saw him fight and heard them call him Trunks. I tried to fight them and couldn't do anything. My father... was a martial artist. They were killed so I tried to avenge them. Is that wrong?"  
  
"No. Come back to my place." Bururma and her began to walk away.  
  
Although they were using time to propel themselves to Nameck-sei, it still seemed to take an immense amount of time to reach their destination. Probably because of Popo's lack of power. They arrived though, and Trunks hopes went up in flames.  
  
"God no..." He muttered.  
  
The village of Dende had been destroyed. As had most of the other villages on Nameck-sei. Hundreds of Nameck-jin's lay in bloody heaps on the ground.  
  
Popo was frightened of this beyond belief. "Trunks-kun... maybe we should leave."  
  
A flash of pure energy enveloped Trunks. "Not a chance in hell Popo- san." He focused his chi and prepared to find the power he had only just begun to sense. "Go hide."  
  
Popo began to run towards the last standing building in the village. Trunks felt two chi signals rapidly grow and then in the same instant, disappear. Popo hadn't felt it obviously, even Trunks wasn't sure if it had occurred, but he wasn't going to let Popo die. But it was too late. A thin beam ripped through Popo's chest spilling blood everywhere. A figure Zanzokened in front of Popo and an electro-whip grabbed Popo buy the neck and held him up. Trunks stood there, frozen, watching everything that was happening. He knew they had seen him, and were now just making him suffer. Trunks' view was blocked by a second figure. This one was female, and ignited an electro-sword. She dug it into Popo's back, more blood dripped on the ground. She then snapped his neck.  
  
She returned the blade to her pouch and faced Trunks. "There's no reason for you to be here. There's no Dragonball's of any kind. Not even—"  
  
"Quiet, Ojuohsib." The male told her. "We must go and report. Soon Zarak's goal will be fulfilled." She grinned. And the two zanzokened after she blew Trunks a kiss.  
  
At Zarak's ship, he stood analyzing the data from his previous attempts. "Why does nothing work?" He cried in frustration.  
  
"Master we return." Ojuohsib said proudly.  
  
Tetsujin stood silently at the door watching the two people report to Zarak.  
  
"There was a Saiya-jin."  
  
Interest burned into Zarak's eyes. "Really? Tell me more." He slid into his seat even more and picked up his wine.  
  
At the Son residence on Earth, Chi-Chi struggled to keep sane on the phone to Buruma. Her and her father lived alone now that Gohan was dead, and she had only just heard that Trunks had gone to Kaio-sama to learn the location of New Nameck-sei.  
  
"Bururma-san I ain't gonna survive a meeting with Gokou-san! It's been to long! Especially since he's been dead for a long time!" Chi-Chi cried into the phone.  
  
"I know Chi-Chi-san! Calm down. We don't even know if it'll succeed. Trunks has been different ever since he returned from the past." Buruma sighed. "I just don't think it was a good idea to send him after all." Buruma's phone began to beep. "Chi-Chi-san! I've got another call. Come around. Now we'll talk some more okay! Bye-bye!"  
  
Azaelya was wearing a pair of Buruma's pant's, and Trunk's black singlets.  
  
Bururma smiled. "See! I told you that the pants would look good on you! I'm to old for black leather. But why the singlet?"  
  
Azaelya shrugged. "It just seemed more, me." Azaelya sat down next to Buruma. "So you wanted to know about me, huh?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Okay. Well I'm only 17. The Jinzoningen killed my parents, but not before my father could teach me the basics of fighting. A man named Gohan taught the rest of my abilities to me. I don't know what happened to him... We met when he saved my house. He got us to safety. When I was about 12 Gohan left and never returned. Then my parents were killed. I've been a homeless person ever since then. I found all the money I had on a dead guy so I stole it. That's all there is to tell." This shocked Bururma.  
  
"I had no idea... I'm so—"  
  
Azaelya was shaking her head. "Don't. Don't you dare feel sorry for me. I can't deal with that."  
  
A knock at the door was enough to break the silence. Bururma got up and got the door.  
  
"Chi-Chi-san!" Buruma cried. "Come in, sit down."  
  
Chi-Chi walked in and prepared to sit down when Azaelya caught her eye. "Who are you?"  
  
"So you're sure he was a Saiya-jin?" Zarak queried Nenuohsib.  
  
"No doubt about it, sir. He was definitely of the Saiya-jin persuasion." Nenuohsib said.  
  
"Interesting, I haven't seen a Saiya-jin since Furiza chased me away all those years ago... I've heard of some before..."  
  
Ojuohsib walked behind Zarak, rubbing her chest against his back. She stroked his face and pulled it towards him, before planting a kiss on it. At first he reciprocated, but soon enough he pushed her away. "Thank you, for telling me that. Now leave."  
  
Ojuohsib looked at him, shocked. "What do you...?"  
  
"Sadly, you no longer have the spark with me you once did. I need a woman molded in eh way I want her to be. Which is what I will create."  
  
Ojuohsib picked her self and ran off.  
  
Tetsujin looked at Nenuohsib and his eyes showed a smirk forming under his metal faceplate. Nenuohsib scowled and walked away.  
  
Three soldiers (the first was medium height and build, the second was asleep, but fairly tall, against the side of the ship, and the third, strong build and the tallest, was taking target practice on a rock) stood out the front of Zarak's ship. They were acting fairly casually and obviously unknowledgeable of Trunks. And the power of the Saiya-jin half breed.  
  
"Hey boys... Wanna dance?" He asked casually.  
  
Trunks zanzokened in front of a soldier and grabbed him by the back of the head, and punched him in the face four times. He snapped the soldier's neck and threw him into the third soldier. The second soldier jumped up and fired three chi blasts at Trunks. With no effort Trunks deflected all three of them. He kneed the soldier in the face and uppercutted him before he fell to the ground, and sent him into the ship. By then the third soldier had gotten up and charged at Trunks. Trunks raised his hand and fired a blast directly through his chest. He collapsed immediately.  
  
"Hello, Saiya-jin." Zarak said. "We're leaving for Earth now, care to join us for the ride?"  
  
Trunks moved his arms around before bringing them right out in front of him. "Burning Attack!" Zarak hit it into the ground, throwing smoke and dust everywhere. This was the only distraction Trunks needed. He dashed towards Zarak only to be thrown off his feet by an electro-whip! He slammed down hard and everything went black when Zarak kicked him in the face.  
  
"So this girl is a homeless person?" Chi-Chi asked. "That was trained by my Gohan-chan?"  
  
Azaelya nodded slightly, "he was a great man, Chi-Chi." She said. An uneasy silence fell around the room.  
  
Bururma gave Chi-Chi and Azaelya a plate with some cake on it. "Here. So Chi-Chi tell me, have you considered my offer?"  
  
Chi-Chi put her cake on the table. "Yes. I will move in. Gohan-chan, Gokou- san, and my dad are all dead. So I don't want to be alone anymore. I ain't gonna die alone."  
  
"Good. Well it's getting late... Chi-Chi, you know where your room is. And Azaelya I've shown you as well. So goodnight." Buruma walked away and crept up the stairs.  
  
Azaelya and Chi-Chi continued to eat their cake, reminiscing about Gohan, life before the Jinzoningen attacked and their futures. Another hour passed before they went to bed.  
  
As Azaelya climbed into bed she thought of her meeting with Trunks tomorrow. And of Gohan again. "Trunks... I hope you're everything I think you are..." She drifted off to sleep.  
  
Harsh winds blew in the desert that was once South City, Azaelya stood wearing a gi similar to Gohan's with a black Jumpsuit underneath. The Jinzoningen stood in front of her, preparing to kill her. They said something, but she couldn't hear it.  
  
"What did you say?" She cried.  
  
Their mouths moved again, this time they finished off with what was obviously a laugh.  
  
"Shutup!" Again, there was no noise except for her.  
  
Azaelya used the ki flowing techniques Gohan had taught her giving her a bright blue aura. She flew towards the two Jinzoningen, only to be stopped and thrown back, buy an invisible wall. She winced and looked up at the two Jinzoningen expecting them to be laughing, only to be shocked when she saw two skeletons crumble to dust. Where they were standing, now stood Trunks and a man she had never seen before.  
  
His pure white hair waved around almost hypnotically in the wind, which was growing stronger and stronger. His skin was a very pale azure color, and his eyes were red like the fires of hell. Despite his fearsomeness, one word stuck inside Azaelya's head: Bishounen.  
  
The wind's strength continued growing. Trunks gave a tight smile, and a tornado enveloped the two of them. The dust blowing everywhere obscured her vision and caused her to close her eyes. When she had opened them again, the two had vanished.  
  
Thinking the worst was over, she relaxed and heard her name said softly behind her. She turned to see two familiar faces. Her parents, Horrible rotting corpses attempting to smother her with what was left of their flesh. She let off a bloodcurdling scream just after her father told her, "you'll join us soon!"  
  
Azaelya awoke with a jolt, surprised to see the sunlight outside. She looked at her clock, 10:37 AM. How could it be so late? She tried desperately to shake the dream out of her mind. She tried to jump out of bed, but was—of course—tangled up in the blankets and fell flat on her face.  
  
"Today is going to be a bad day..." She muttered to herself angrily, and when she heard someone laugh she knew it could only get worse. She looked up slowly, and to her surprise saw a rather bruised Trunks looking at her.  
  
He reached down to help her up, "you must Azaelya. My mother told me about you."  
  
Azaelya took his hand and got to her feet. "Oh yeah? What did she say?"  
  
"That you could fight, you were in need of some support and I could be the person to help you with both."  
  
Azaelya stifled a laugh. "You do realize don't you? That sounds like she's trying to set us up."  
  
Trunks nodded in agreeance. "Either way we should start training now. Do you want a shower or anything?"  
  
"No... Gohan would always just get straight into the training. So I do as well. It's how her taught me." Azaelya noticed Trunks' jaw tighten when she mentioned her training from Gohan. Buruma had told her how well the two got along and now she regretted saying anything.  
  
Trunks forced a smile and signaled for them to go downstairs.  
  
The command center in Zarak's ship was empty except for one man. He hid his face behind a mask you would expect to see at a party, and wore a cybernetic suit obviously inspired by Saiya-jin armor, medieval knights and sleek, mecha with souls.  
  
He stroked his chin thoughtfully, the encryption to Zarak's personal files was good, but not good enough to stop he and his Slicer chips getting through. Zarak's father, Zarkon, had asked him to a little bit of spring cleaning for his son. In other words: Access his personal files and give him the dirt.  
  
The beeps sounded and the screen flashed a bright red color, which within seconds, was taken over by the real screen. The man now had full access to Zarak's files. Zarkon would be very pleased indeed  
  
The four Slicer chips began to glow, as the data was downloaded. For a moment the man hesitated. Although his allegiance was to Zarkon, would it be worth enduring the wrath Zarak could bring down on him? Would it be worth it betraying Ojuohsib? He shook the thoughts out of his head and let them finish downloading.  
  
Within seconds after he was finished, he vanished leaving no sign he had ever been there.  
  
The door opened and Azaelya walked in. Tetsujin was searching for someone for Zarak to 'play' with. And both Zarak and Nenuohsib had gone to deliver Trunks back home.  
  
"Trunks was a perfectly good specimen... Why couldn't Zarak have just used him?" Azaelya muttered to herself. "Oh that's right! He needed a new playmate. Bah! At least I still have Nenuohsib. He'll comfort me when Zarak takes this new slut of his."  
  
Azaelya stopped when she neared the terminal. A slight scent hit her. She sniffed the air attempting to pick up on it more. After a few minutes she identified who it was. Naibu-jin had incredibly powerful senses, more so than any human or Saiya-jin. Smells could be faked easy enough, but if this was who she thought it was... Well she knew the imprint his hand left on items. She ran her hands along the keyboard.  
  
She pulled out a com-link. Sure Zarak and Nenuohsib would be back soon, but they needed to know this now. She tuned into Zarak's personal frequency and gave him a simple message. "Strachan was here." 


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 4  
  
Sunlight streamed through the window of the hotel room Trunks and Azaelya were occupying. Azaelya slowly opened her eyes slowly expecting to see Trunks staring back at her after their night of passion. To her surprise he was gone. She sat up quickly a look of fear on her face.  
  
He wouldn't have gone back alone, she thought to herself. He just wouldn't have.  
  
She stumbled out of bed and into the bathroom where she took a relaxing soak to drown her fears.  
  
"I'm sorry, sir, but why did you feel the need to almost kill them?" Nenuohsib asked impatiently. For almost a day Zarak had not spoken of the battle to anyone. "I thought you wanted a fight."  
  
Zarak merely raised a hand to silence the man. He was to bus to worry about that now. He needed something substantial to show his father. He needed a body for his 'perfect woman'. Although he had enough Saiya-jin DNA he didn't want a pure Saiya-jin. Too much risk, too much hard work, to hard to control. The soldiers he had sent over what was left of the world had returned nothing. He was beginning to wonder if this was all a waste of time.  
  
Then a woman caught his eye.  
  
"Who is she?" Zarak asked to no one in particular.  
  
Tetsujin was the only one who answered. "She is the associate of the Saiya-jin Trunks. Her name is Azaelya."  
  
Ojuohsib stood in the shadows, not letting anyone see her. She preferred to be a spectator for this. She would prove to Zarak that she was better than any woman he could make was.  
  
"Get her. We need her now." Zarak smiled maniacally. "She will be the vessel."  
  
Ojuohsib looked at Nenuohsib, and smiled. If Azaelya were to be the woman perhaps it would be best if her and Zarak actually got together. It would make it hurt more when Nenuohsib and Ojuohsib feasted on her soul.  
  
"Understood." The three soldiers replied in unison.  
  
Casually, Azaelya walked through the door of the Capsule Corp house hoping to find Trunks, instead she found a cheery Buruma and Chi-Chi talking about a shopping trip they were planning.  
  
"Azaelya? You're home?" Bururma asked.  
  
"Home?" Azaelya muttered to herself quietly. "Ah, yes," She said awkwardly.  
  
Bururma walked into the kitchen fixing her a drink. "Do you want anything, Azaelya?"  
  
"Uh, yeah. Has Trunks been here?"  
  
"No." Buruma said outright.  
  
After only a couple of days she had taken a shine to the girl. Ever since the Jinzoningen attacked Buruma had a heavy feeling in her heart that would lift whenever she saw people happy. She also knew how much of a liking Azaelya had taken to Trunks and vice-versa. Which is why it was so painful for her to lie to the young girl, but Trunks had made her promise not tell her he had stopped by.  
  
"Okay. Well, tell him I'm in the gravity room if he comes back," Azaelya said, her feeling of anxiety increasing.  
  
"Will do!"  
  
Azaelya walked off to the gravity room and closed the door behind her. Buruma let out a large sigh as she returned to her conversation with Chi-Chi.  
  
Alone. A word Zarak used so often describing those who walked the life of a fighter. A word he used to describe himself on more than one occasion. All that was about to change though, once he had Azaelya's DNA it would take him three months to create the perfect woman. Some one to pleasure him and spill blood for him.  
  
Three months it would take to build her, but first they would need to find her. Why? Why not just create a pure Saiya-jin? It was too unstable. Too powerful, and too hard to keep under control. Humanity was much easier to control anyway.  
  
"Zarak? When do you want us to attack?" Ojuohsib asked, breaking his concentration.  
  
"Trunks has been gone for twenty-four hours," he replied. "We must wait until he returns. We cannot find him anywhere."  
  
Nenuohsib walked into the room with Tetsujin; the two had solemn looks on their faces. Obviously they had not found Trunks. Yet, Zarak couldn't find it in himself to actually care.  
  
"Sir," Tetsujin began. "We were..." He trailed off.  
  
Nenuohsib continued where he stopped, "unable to find Trunks anywhere."  
  
Zarak didn't answer. He had a hunch where he was, and Trunks wasn't the kind of guy prepared to let people find him unless he wanted to be found. "It doesn't matter. But we need him, to see our project. He can grade it for us. Dismissed."  
  
The three soldiers left. Ojuohsib clasped Nenuohsib's hand and the two returned to her room together. In the few days that had passed since Zarak's dismissal of her affection, their relationship had returned to what it was before they were hired as assassins.  
  
Three days had passed since Azaelya and Trunks had consummated their love. Azaelya had barely stopped training to sleep. Buruma and Chi-Chi had left for their shopping trip and Trunks had still not shown up.  
  
"I'm home." A familiar voice said from the doorway of the Gravity room.  
  
Azaelya turned to face Trunks, and two males. One looked older than Trunks and had a scar over his lips, and the other looked about 17.  
  
"Where were you?" She asked, holding back tears.  
  
"Training. These are the other Z-Senshi. This is Lem," he gestured to the younger looking boy and then to the older man. "And this is Naraku."  
  
She walked up to Trunks and slapped him across the face. Anger burned in her eyes, and she couldn't stop herself from shaking. "Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
Trunks turned to his two students. "Could you two leave us alone for a while?" They both gave slight bows and left the room. "I didn't tell you because... Because... It wasn't any of your business."  
  
Azaelya burst out laughing, "that's a joke right?"  
  
"No, it's not a joke. It wasn't any of your concern."  
  
"I thought you loved me." She said quietly.  
  
Trunks lifted her chin up and wiped the tears in her eyes away. "I don't. Just because we had sex—It doesn't mean anything."  
  
She pushed him away, then thrust her leg out at his head. He dodged it and rammed her into a wall. She fired a double-Kienzan at him. Again, he dodged them as if they weren't even there. She conceded and stopped trying to fight him.  
  
"Fuck you Trunks." She bit out. "How can you say it doesn't mean anything."  
  
"Our night of"—he coughed—"Passion was nothing more than a way for me to feel. To forget."  
  
"How can you say that? Why would you say that? You asshole. I mean W—Was I not good? Didn't I do well enough?" She asked, the tears rolling down her face now.  
  
Trunks shook his head smiling, "of course not. You were fantastic. God, you like a pro. Never have I had a time like that." He shrugged and walked towards the door. "But hey, we've had our fun. Unless you thought—Oh my God. You thought it was gonna be something more? We only knew each other for a day. So don't sweat it. It could have been. But the flame went out."  
  
Azaelya couldn't take this anymore, she ran passed him, unable to control her anguished cries and ran up the stairs into her room. Trunks stood in the Gravity Room, replaying the events repeatedly in his mind. Saying those words, it had hurt her deeply, but it had burnt him just as much. He swallowed hard and blinked the tears back.  
  
Lem and Naraku were sparring playfully outside of Capsule Corp., when Lem spotted Azaelya floating down from her room.  
  
"Hey, Azaelya!" He cried getting her attention. He waved her down, and she landed next to him blocking the punch thrown by Naraku as a test.  
  
"So Trunks has told you about me, huh? His little one-night-stand, his conquest." She spat out bitterly. "Not that I care what he told you. But how did he find you? And why?"  
  
Naraku spoke up. "He told us we needed to help him protect the Earth."  
  
"If there were other people as strong as you before, why did Trunks wait until now?" She queried.  
  
"For the past two years Trunks has been training us in the room of Spirit and Time. He spent two days searching for strong warriors and the other two training." He cocked an eyebrow and gave a lop-sided smile. "And we were the best he could find. Us."  
  
Azaelya was confused by the 'two years'. "How could you train for two years?"  
  
Lem broke into the conversation. "The Room of Spirit and Time is an extra-dimensional room, within it time passes much faster than it does in the real world. In twenty-four hours out here one day passes inside the room." He paused wondering how to explain the rest of it. "The reason for this is, apart form the other dimension, is that we operate on a linear chronology on this plane. As opposed to most other dimensions which operate on a realist chronology. Which is less physical, more temporal and less based on perception."  
  
Azaelya was shocked. For two reasons, the first being Trunks had not told her about this or offered the chance to use it, and the second being that Lem was an overtly serious genius despite his happy-go-lucky look's and mannerisms, and Naraku—the somber older man—was a fun loving and sarcastic guy. This was unexpected.  
  
At least now the odds were more even. But Trunks—her love, the man she'd fallen in love with after only one day—was now a problem. He hated her and she wanted to hate him, but she couldn't.  
  
"Hey, Naraku, when did you become a fighter? Did that somber look come from it?" She asked smiling.  
  
He gave her a toothy grin. "Oh no, the somber face is all mine. I had it before I was a fighter."  
  
"Well why'd you choose fighting?" She probed.  
  
"Mostly for fun. My father was a scholar. He really hated my fighting talents, mostly because it's not what he wanted. So I became a fighter to piss him off basically." He looked into Azaelya's eyes and continued, "I still went to University, I graduated and I married the woman I always thought I would. Then the Jinzoningen attacked. You're probably a bit young to remember this but, when the Jinzoningen first attacked the strongest fighters in the world were asked to stop them.  
  
"Apparently, the previous winners and participants of the Tenkaichi Budokai's were unable to be found. Son Gokou was my idol. I was about ten when I first saw him at a Tenkaichi Budokai. It was his first one, and I was transfixed. I learnt about him and his friends and the lives they lived. I was so intrigued by them. I found out from someone, I think his name was Kamesennin that they'd all died. Or been slaughtered more appropriately.  
  
"Me being me, I had participated in a few Budokai's and decided to fight the Jinzoningen. As a way of paying my respects. The Jinzoningen were smart regarding the 'saviors of the Earth', as we were known, they picked us off slowly. But more and more were coming. To fight in the end there was about twenty-five of us when we all decided to attack them at once."  
  
Azaelya was impressed so far. "And you survived?"  
  
His smile had faded by this time; pain was etched onto his face by the memories he was reliving. "You did. But I didn't survive the fight. I didn't even fight. I ran. And about a day later I returned home to see my house in flames and Juuhachigou modeling my wife's clothes as if it were some sick game. I didn't know what to do. My whole town was burning and I was the only one left. So I ran. But I didn't run to escape no not to escape. I ran to find some way to help. Deep down I thought I could find their weakness, and become a hero. But I couldn't do it. I just couldn't bring myself to fight them, for anyone.  
  
"So when Trunks actually found me and told me I was useful I decided to chance it. I decided that this time I would make a difference. I would honor my wife and children's memory. And when he told me he was a close friend of Son Gokou's I the deal was made."  
  
Azaelya struggled to find the right words for this moment. "I'm sorry, I—I—I didn't know. I mean, I." She stopped looking at his face, despite what he had been through; he was still able to put on a smile.  
  
"Don't sweat it. It's strangely calming and eerily easy to talk about. And if you've got other words for 'scary' I can use I'll describe it a lot more as well." He gave a roguish grin and helped her to her feet. "I should probably go see how Trunks is coming along with the plan of attack."  
  
Lem came over wiping some sweat of his forehead with a towel. "Ready to here my sorry tale of despair and somber-ish saddening."  
  
Azaelya watched Naraku walk away slowly. "Maybe later."  
  
Naraku peered through the Gravity Room window at Trunks, whom was standing in the dead center of the room perfectly still despite the obvious strain on his body. Naraku glanced at the screen to see how much Gravity was actually being generated into the room: 1100G.  
  
Trunks lifted his hand and fired a burst into the control panel so weak that it would have incredible concentration to even remotely sense it. Either way, it turned of the Gravity Room's artificial gravity. Trunks braced him for the sudden decrease in gravity, and then signaled Naraku to enter.  
  
"What do you want, Naraku?" Trunks asked not turning around.  
  
"I just talked to Azaelya. She's an interesting girl." Naraku said, still wearing the same roguish smile. "If no one is currently seeing her, I might have to make my move."  
  
Trunks finally turned to face him; his eyes were puffy and red from crying. "She wouldn't go for you. She'd prefer someone like me. At least she used to."  
  
Naraku leaned against the doorway casually, his over-confidence obvious. "But then you said all those horrible things to her, and now she hates you." Naraku gave a slight laugh. "It's all your fault really."  
  
Within two seconds, Trunks had him up against the wall, his forearm pressed into Naraku's neck. That was the only thing holding Naraku above the ground. Trunks poised his other arm and prepared to punch him. More tears rolled down Trunks cheeks, as his grip grew weaker. Finally he let Naraku fall and then collapsed to his knees crying. Naraku found it hard not to pity him and his situation.  
  
"Why did I say those things? Why didn't I tell her? I love her!" He said in between sobs.  
Naraku desperately wanted to reach out and comfort Trunks, but he couldn't bring himself to. He stood watching him cry, watching him burn away his sorrow. He was just over two years old, what could he do? Still, in truth he'd been alive longer than two years, but was that really life? Is this?  
  
Naraku shrugged, "you made choice. That's all."  
  
His words didn't help Trunks. "That's no excuse. I love her. She's meant to fight by my side and now she probably wouldn't even want to kill me herself."  
  
"Trunks, you told me—when we were in the Room of Spirit and Time—never to dwell on the past. To do as you feel right." Naraku said, he then added, "because every battle could be our last."  
  
Trunks stopped. His insides went cold. Every battle could be our last. You're right, and this will be someone's last battle. Mine.  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Nenuohsib and Ojuohsib stood in the command center, arm in arm, watching the monitor with Zarak and Tetsujin. Once the Z-Senshi arrived, Azaelya MKII would be ready to begin. All they'd need is her DNA and three months. Then they could swiftly destroy any opposition to their dominance before travelling to a reality with the Dragonball's still intact.  
  
Zarak's mind thrived thinking of the possibilities of what they could do with this much power. With so few people he could trust though, would he be able to make it out of here alive? His father would no doubt be keeping a close eye on him after Strachan's visit. And Tetsujin seemed to have been overtly keen on learning everything he could about Azaelya MKII. Then there were the two Naibu-jin; selfish, fearless assassin's completely devoted to their own kind and to anyone who offers them a good enough reward. But these two, they were different. Something about them was different to other Naibu-jin. The fact that they were banished from their home world attested to this fact. While Tetsujin was keen on Azaelya's mind and body—as one would expect Tetsujin to be—they were keen on her soul, and whether or not Zarak could create one.  
  
Either way, now was not the time to be making everyone into an enemy. Not with four figures flying towards the ship—each with fairly high chi- signals—obviously intent on killing those inside. Zarak grinned with a sadistic delight, as they landed just outside the ship.  
  
Lem and Naraku immediately took to fighting, the look of enjoyment showing on their faces as they knocked guard after guard to the ground, most of them dead. Naraku was fighting more technically than Lem, relying mostly on countering techniques and mind games. Thus, his fighting was almost graceful as if it were some form of dance.  
  
Lem, on the other hand, was more instinctive, throwing punches and kicks like a wild animal. Azaelya shook her head watching them fight, much in the way their mannerisms had belied their personalities, their personalities belied the way they fought.  
  
A soldier attempted to catch Azaelya off guard and land a punch on her face. She caught his forearm less than one second before the impact—with a grip like a vice—and began to squeeze, until he cried out in pain. A satisfied smile crossed her face when a sickening pop sounded, and blood sprayed from the elbow joint. She threw the dying guard into the side of the ship and continued to fight.  
  
Trunks parried a kick in the air with his own leg, and headbutted the guard in the face, cracking his nose. Blood dripped down his face, but the guard ignored it tossing his at Trunks. Trunks ducked under him and grabbed his arm, before punching a hole through his stomach. He tossed the corpse into another three guards flying at him, which distracted them long enough for him to Zanzoken to the entrance of the ship.  
  
Naraku followed Trunks down. He and Trunks were to get inside the ship and call off the soldiers swarming Lem and Azaelya, and then those two were to join them for the fight against Zarak. Perhaps, their plan wasn't as clever as it could have been. Perhaps, Zarak knew what they would do. Perhaps, it was meant to be this way. It didn't matter to Trunks either way as Nenuohsib, Ojuohsib and Tetsujin surrounded two of the Z-Senshi.  
  
"Soldier Seven-Oh-Three-Dee, get all of your men to return to the ship immediately. The parties about to begin." Zarak said quietly into the com- link. His soldier's response was barely audible due to the static present.  
  
Soon, your destiny will be mine.  
  
He threw the com-link into a wall, leaving a large dent. Throwing off his robe, he began to adjust his jumpsuit underneath. This fight would not be child's play like the last one was it would be hard. It would be intense. It would be fun.  
  
Naraku flew into one of the conference room's walls, smashing a large hole into it. He looked up to see a gloating Ojuohsib towering over him. Acting purely on instinct, he grabbed a live electrical wire writhing around on the ground next to him, and rammed it into her stomach.  
  
She stumbled back a few steps, her mouth etched into a disbelieving smile. Naraku pulled the wire back. She took in a few deep breaths, her body convulsing. And she screamed. The scream was so shrill it took what seemed like forever for anyone to actually realize it came from her.  
  
Nenuohsib dashed over to save her, leaving Tetsujin to deal with Trunks by himself. Nenuohsib scooped the fallen warrior up in his arms. She was alive—barely—and Nenuohsib took comfort in that thought. He leant her against a wall of the ships main conference hall.  
  
"Don't worry pet. I'm not gonna let you die on me." He whispered into her ear.  
  
Naibu-jin are interesting creatures. They have the ability to heal one another by transferring their own chi through blood. Not only does this make them formidable, it also carries interesting side effects. They become one. And the only way they can separate is through the absorption of a soul, and until they separate if one dies so does the other. One pro is that the 'side-effects' remain...  
  
Nenuohsib pulled his glove off, and cut into his own wrist with a fingernail after doing the same to Ojuohsib, he clutched her hand tightly and allowed the blood to be absorbed. An azure aura surrounded the Naibu- jin, as she opened her eyes.  
  
"Thank you." She said. Deciding to try out the 'side-effects' she added—directly into his mind—Shall we?  
  
"Life Force!" They screamed in unison.  
  
Naraku tried to turn around to see what was happening, but Tetsujin's grip was far to tight. Trunks ducked under his free arm and appeared directly in front of him. He grabbed Tetsujin's wrist with his right hand, and with a speed and ferocity often associated with Saiya-jin, he snapped the Jinzoningen's arm with his left.  
  
Naraku fell to the ground coughing, trying to catch his breath. He flipped up, and turned to see what the others had done. When his eyes adjusted he tossed his hands up in defense, as did Trunks and Tetsujin!  
  
Lem and Azaelya were continuing to hold off the soldiers. And elbow was moved to the right, another gone. A chi blast to the chest—another. They were dropping like flies. Azaelya carelessly tossed a punch and missed. But the soldier didn't attack. He retreated, they all did.  
  
"They're ready for us to attack now. We have to go!" Lem cried.  
  
"Right."  
  
They both started towards the ship, suddenly, Lem's cracked back and plummeted into a boulder just near the ship. Azaelya stopped sharply, turning just far enough to avoid the same fate. Despite the apprehension Azaelya was now feeling, she forced her body into a defensive stance, preparing to fight the man who attacked Lem—Zarak.  
  
Tetsujin fired chi balls of rapidly at the hundreds of Ojuohsib and Nenouhsib's. It didn't seem to help though. Trunks fought the best he could, in the now cramped space, and Naraku was overwhelmed fairly quickly.  
  
Trunks bent back to avoid a punch and caught a glimpse of the security monitor: Zarak and Azaelya in a stand off, with Lem nowhere to be seen. He panicked unable to keep his thoughts on the fight at hand. A jab combo hit him square in the face knocking him to his feet; he caught one last glimpse of the monitor before the screen went up in flames because of a stray chi blast.  
  
Naraku screamed, as he rose out of the pile of Naibu-jin. Power emanated from his body almost to brightly to look at him. His aura continued to grow, brighter, his chi signal stronger. His eyes burnt intensely. Without warning, his head shot back and energy disintegrated all but the real Naibu-jin. His aura began to dull, as did his chi signal. Before he disappeared entirely Trunks saw through aura. The figure inside the aura looked—for only a handful of seconds—like Gohan.  
  
When everything had cleared up, the Naibu-jin had already gone. No doubt hiding elsewhere in the ship. But Trunks didn't have time to worry about them—or help the wounded Jinzoningen. His internal systems would heal himself. He had one thing on his mind: Azaelya.  
  
Azaelya had fought off most of nerves in her body. The numbing fear was now more of an itching fear, she let out a deep sigh. And charged towards Zarak.  
  
Before she reached him, he said but one thing: "You will be the first, Azaelya."  
  
He moved faster than she could see, entrenched his fist into her stomach. As she spat out large globules of blood, he grabbed her by the chin. He pushed her head back, her neck snapped, and she was dead before he dropped her body.  
  
"But not the last."  
  
Trunks was to late, he burst from the ship tears rolling down his face. Cursing loudly he stopped directly in front of Zarak. "You fucking—I'll kill you! Bastard!" His rage enveloped him, and the energy ran through him. His hair stood up and electricity streaked over him.  
  
"Don't do this Trunks. Not now." For a moment Trunks thought Zarak had spoken, until he turned around to see Lem floating behind him worse for wear.  
  
"Listen to your friend, Trunks." Zarak chimed in, "I'm giving you free passage out of here."  
  
As much as Trunks didn't want to leave he had no choice, both he and Lem flew off regretting everything they had done. 


	5. Finale

Finale  
  
Three months passed since Azaelya and Naraku died at the hands of Zarak. Trunks and Lem had become close since that time, and Trunks was preparing for another showdown with Zarak. Trunks had prayed the last battle would be his final one, but the fates had kicked him while he was down once more.  
  
"Tomorrow morning, Lem.' Trunks said as he shutdown the gravity room. "That's when we attack." Lem nodded while Trunks drunk a glass of water, knowing full well that Trunks would not wake from his sleep. Lem had slipped some toxins into the water at the request of someone, and he obliged, he was disgusted with himself, but he knew it had to be done.  
  
Morning came, and Lem left without telling Bururma, hanging around outside Trunks window until she found his body. Her crying and anger over her son's death were almost too much for him to bear. He had to do his job now, before he began to listen to his conscience.  
  
She's been through so much, and I took away everything she had left. I don't deserve to live. He thought to himself disgustedly.  
  
Within the hour Lem arrived at Zarak's ship. It would be leaving in one day once the news of Trunks' death had been received. But he could not compromise the main mission objective first. He entered the ship and headed straight for the data room.  
  
Zarak walked by the data room and saw Lem standing in the doorway his back turned. Zarak walked up to the boy and tapped him on the shoulder. He jumped in fright and kicked Zarak in the neck as a reaction, sending him to the ground.  
  
"Foolish boy." Zarak pushed himself of the ground and brushed himself off.  
  
He grabbed Lem by the neck and began to squeeze. "Trunks is dead. I killed him." Lem blurted out.  
  
Zarak was pleased by the news, the sooner he could get out of this reality and into a new one the better, but he didn't let it show, and instead he kept squeezing. Lem let out a chuckle as his body began to glow in a similar way to Naraku. Zarak's hands started to burn, and he dropped Lem.  
  
Lem closed his eyes as a peaceful smile came over his face. As Lem's aura grew brighter, a familiar face began to appear in it. One Zarak knew all to well.  
  
"Vejita!" Zarak cried. A moment later he was gone. Unsure what to do, Zarak walked off not knowing what had happened.  
  
On Kaio-sama's planetoid, Vejita appeared as if he had zanzokened there. He was drenched in sweat with deep black bags under his eyes. He struggled top catch his breath as he stood back up.  
  
"Was it necessary to do what we did, Kaio-sama?" He asked in between breaths. "I stole everything from why wife and killed our son."  
  
Kaio's answer was simple: "Yes."  
  
Gohan, who looked better than Vejita but not by much, spoke up, "why couldn't we just do this when the Jinzoningen attacked? We could have done so much!"  
  
"I could only do this once, and even then Enma-Daiou was very reluctant to allow it to happen." Kaio stated. "If we did it against the Jinzoningen, it would have been an endless cycle in every reality. There would be no reality in which the Jinzoningen didn't destroy everything. Trunks needed to return to the past. And he needed to be killed before he could Zarak."  
  
What Kaio had done was given Vejita and Gohan new bodies, new lives temporarily to help Trunks in his final battle. Zarak was not to be defeated here, Kaio had been told. Trunks must lose. Kaio had sacrificed his own life for this event but he didn't regret it at all. As the other Z- Senshi congratulated Gohan and Vejita—and consoled them—Kaio searched their memories of what had happened. One memory stay in his mind, it made him feel calm, at peace. It was of Zarak's main computer, the screen showed the inter-dimensional travel co-ordinates: Earth Prime Six-Seven-Four-Nine- Five.  
  
"We have managed to bury the seeds of hope."  
  
Fin. 


End file.
